Adhesive enhancement improved field emission characteristics of carbon nanotube arrays on energetic ion pre-bombarded Si substrates

摘要

Field emission (FE) characteristics of well-aligned multiwall carbon nanotube arrays (CNTAs) grown on originally polished and energetic iron ion bombarded Si substrates were investigated. It was found that the FE characteristics have been improved remarkably by the pretreatment of iron ion bombardment, an evident promotion of the highest emission current density from 4.05 mA/cm~2 to 54.45 mA/cm~2 was as an expression of this enhancement, this enhancement in characteristics is attributed to the improved adhesion between CNTs and Si substrate for the existence of iron buffer layer. The relationship between adhesive force and emission current density has been introduced, and the calculation reveals that the adhesion has been enhanced by 14.4 times due to the energetic ion pre-bombardment on Si substrate.